Stern-wheel boat



. (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

. J. LSOHURR.

STERN WHEEL BOAT.

No. 270,344. Patented Jan. 9,1883.

WITNESSES: g ar @%w% 6 I ATTORNEY (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. J. SOHURR.

STERN WHEEL BOAT.

N0. 270,344. m Patented Jan. 9,1883.

WITNESSES: k1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. J. SOHURR.

STERN WHEELBQAT. No. 270,344. Patented Jan. 9,1883.

WITNESSES: V NVENTD I 4 BY ATTORNEY Unrrnn STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

JOllANN J. SUI-IURR, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

STERN-WHEEL BOAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 270,344, dated January 9, 1883.

Application filed Septemberi, 1882.

T 0 all whom it may concern ie it known that I, JOHANN JACOB SCHURR, ot'Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Propelling Vessels, of which the following is-a specifica- 1101!.

This invention has reference to an improved mechanismforpropellingpleasure-boats,canalboats, and other vessels; and the invention consists of a boat having a paddle-wheel arranged at its stern, said paddle-wheel receiving continuous rotary motion by means of oscillating treadles which are connected by properly-guided transmitting-cords with loose sheaves on the shaft of the paddle-wheel, said sheaves engaging alternately by pawls pivoted thereto ratchet-wheels on the hub of the wheel. The trans mitting-cords are passed several times around the sheaves and connected at their ends to a centrally-i'ulcrumed oscillating lever, which causes the alternate winding up ofo'ne of the transmitting-cords on one sheave while the other cord is unwound from the 'other sheave. The shaft of the paddle-wheel is supported in backwardly-extending beams, which are pivoted at their inner ends to deck-posts of the boat and provided atintermediate points with vertically adjustable screw standards, by which the depth of the wheel in the water may be regulated. The boat is made of two hulls, side by side, laterally braced and connected together, having a central longitudinalchannel between them, the rudders being applied to the stern of the'hulls and operated by a steel ing-gear near the treadles and by connecting cords or chains by the party operating the propelling mechanism.

In the accompanyingdrawings,Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved propelling mechanism for vessels. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3, a horizontal section on line m .r, Fig. 1; and Figs. at and 5 are details of the pawl-and-ratchet mechanism by which rotary motion is transmitted from the sheaves to the paddle-wheel.

similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, A A represent the hull of a vessel constructed of two hulls, which are has just turned the paddle-wheel.

pointed at the bows and laterally connected (No model.)

by strom braces so as to form a central lonl s gitudinal passage-way for the water. The hulls A A support the deck B, on which the propelling mechanism is arranged. This consists of two oscillating treadles, O C, which are pivoted to a tired deck-post, 0, near the bow. tached to each treadle and guided over pulleys d d, thatare supported on vertical posts D D, one pair near the treadle, the other at the stern of the boat, as shown in Fig. 2. The pulley-supporting posts D Dare properly stiffened by longitudinal and lateral brace-v pieces. The transmitting-cordsD pass from the'stern-pulleys d d downwardand around loose sheaves E of the paddle-wheel shafts, one at each side of the paddle-wheel F. After passing a number of times around the sheaves E the cords D are attached to the ends of an oscillating lever, D that is centrallyfulcrumed to an inclined bracket-frame, D secured to the transverse brace-frame of the stern-posts D, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The hub oft-he paddle-wheel F is keyed to the shaft F, and provided at both ends with fixed ratchetwheelsf. These ratchet-wheels are alternately engaged by spring'pressed pawlsf, applied to a disk-shaped flange,f at that end of the sheaves adjoining the hubof the paddle-wheel. By the alternating action of the treadles one of the transmitting-cords causes the turning ofits sheave in the forward direction, so that its pawl engages one of the ratchet-wheels of the hub and imparts thereby rotary motion to the paddle-wheel F. The strain exerted by the unwinding of the cord D on the fulcruined lever D pulls the same toward the sheave that The opposite end of the lever D exerts therebya strain on the second cord D, which causes the second sheave to turn, but in opposite direction to that of the first sheave, so that its pawl passes clear over the teeth of the adjoining ratchet on the hub of the paddle-wheel, and causes the winding up of the transmitting-cord D on the sheave and the raising otits treadle C, so that it is ready to be lowered by the action of the party propelling the boat. By lowering the treadle just raised the transmitting-cord 1), attached to the treadle, causes the turning of the sheave that has just moved clear of the A power-transmitting cord, D, is atratchet-wheel on the hub of the paddle-wheel in forward direction, so that its pawl engages the ratchet-wheel and imparts thereby a to tary motion to the paddle-wheel, while the sheave and pawl at the other end of the paddle-wheel shaft turn clear of the ratchet-wheel by the action of the oscillating lever D, so as to wind up its transmitting-cord and raise thereby the first treadle, 0, again. In this manner the alternating lowering and raising of the treadles produces a continuous rotary motion ofthe paddle-wheel in one direction, as the transmittingcords cause the alternate engagement and disengagement of the pawls of the sheaves with the ratchet-wheel of the hub of the paddle-wheel in connection with the oscillating motion of thelever D that is actuated by the transmitting cords D I). In this manner the boat can be propelled with comparatively little efi'ort by the party or parties working the trcadles.

. The shaft F of the paddle-wheel F revolves in bearings at the ends of longitudinal beams I, which are pivoted at their front ends to fixed deck-posts F and extended to sufiicient length back of the stern B. The beams I are connected by a transverse stiffening-piece, F which is supported on vertical screw-standards F, by which the pivoted beams F may be set higher or lower, they being then secured rig: idly in position by tightening screw-nuts f 1'', so that the paddle-wheel may be made to dip more or less into the water according to the greater or less load of the boat.

In place of the treadle action any other means by which the transmitting-cords are alternately aetuated-such as an oscillating lever-may be employed, as I do not confine myself to the special mechanism described.

The propelling mechanism of the boat may also be worked by steam-power, if desired.

The boat is steered from a steering mechanism arranged near the treadles, so that the person working the treadles can also operate the steeringmechanism. It consists of a lever or steering-wheel, E, that is connected by two transmitting cords, H, which pass over a guide-roller, h, between the hulls, and over pulleys or eyes It to the rudders I I at the stern of the same, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The rudders are simultaneously operated parallel to each other, they being acted upon at their insides by strong springs 11", (shown in Fig. 3,) whereby the return motion of the same is facilitated.

The advantages of my improved propelling mechanism for vessels are that the vessels can be propelled with greater speed and with less effort; secondly, that the vessel, being built of two hulls, cannot capsize, so as to furnish thereby greater security; thirdly, that owing to the large deck which can be arranged on the hulls a large number of persons or a large quantity of freight can be carried by the vessel.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, with a boat having two hulls arranged side by side, of a vertically-adjustable paddle-wheel located at the, stern of the boat, alternately-working treadle, powertransmitting cords, loose sheaves on the shalt of the said paddlcwvheel connected by pawL and-ratchet mechanism with the hub of the wheel, and the fulcrumcd lever, whereby a continuous rotary motion is imparted to the paddle-wheel, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a boat having two hulls, of a steering mechanism consisting of a rudder at the stern of each hull, a steeringwheel at the bow, intermediate cords and pulleys, and springs for facilitating the return motion of the rudders, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention 1 have signed my name in presence ol" two subscribing witnesses.

JOHANN JACOB SCI'IURII.

Witnesses:

JOSIAH Conan, HARRISON II. LIVINGSTON. 

